Papali'i Poumau

Papali'i Asiata Fauatea Poumau MBE was a Western Samoan politician. He served as Minister for Education between 1964 and 1967.

Papali'i Poumau
Minister for Education
In office
1964–1967
Preceded byTuatagaloa Leutele Te'o
Succeeded byTuaopepe Tame
Member of the Legislative Assembly
In office
1964–1967
Preceded byTuilagi Simi
Succeeded byLeilua Iuliano
ConstituencyFa'asaleleaga No. 2
Personal details
DiedNew Zealand

Biography

A former court interpreter and registrar in the Land and Titles Court,[1] Poumau worked in the Western Samoa Public Service Commission,[2] later becoming Resident Commissioner of Savai'i. In 1958 he became the first Samoan to represent New Zealand at the South Pacific Commission.[3] He was made an MBE in the 1961 New Year Honours.[4] In February 1961 he was appointed as the Samoan administrator of the referendum on independence and a new constitution.[5]

After retiring from the civil service,[2] he contested the Fa'asaleleaga No. 2 constituency in the 1964 general elections, defeating incumbent MLA Tuilagi Simi by 68 votes to 63.[6] Following the elections, he was surprisingly appointed Minister for Education by Prime Minister Fiame Mata'afa.[1] However, he lost his seat in the 1967 elections,[7] losing to Leilua Iuliano by 78 votes to 64.[6] He ran again in the 1970 elections, but finished fourth out of five candidates with only eleven votes.[6]

Poumau died in New Zealand in the early 1970s.[2]

References
  1. Criticism Of Selections For New Cabinet Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1964, p57
  2. Papalii Poumau Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1973, p125
  3. People Pacific Islands Monthly, October 1958, p5
  4. "No. 42233". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1960. p. 8929.
  5. Dusan J. Djonovich (1973) Resolutions Adopted by the General Assembly: 1960-62, p540
  6. Samoan election results by constituency 1964–2016 Samoa Election Results Database
  7. Mata'afa will lead independent Western Samoa for third term Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1967, p9
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